Fulham vs Man United ended 1-1 at Craven Cottage as Matheus Cunha’s late deflected strike rescued a point for Manchester United and denied Fulham a first Premier League victory of the season.
The result looked set to go Fulham’s way after Lisandro Martinez’s bizarre own goal gave the hosts the lead in the 63rd minute. United had struggled to turn their possession into a decisive goal for much of the afternoon, but Cunha struck from 20 yards with just a minute of normal time remaining, with the effort taking a wicked deflection off David Affengruber before wrongfooting Bernd Leno.
The draw means United avoid a third defeat in the space of a week, but they head into the international break 12th in the Premier League with only five points from their opening five matches. Fulham remain 19th with two points.
Fulham vs Man United produces dramatic late finish
The match began evenly, with neither side able to establish clear control during the opening stages. United gradually started to grow into the contest, however, and came within inches of taking the lead when Bruno Fernandes saw his effort rebound off the post following Cunha’s cutback.
That opportunity appeared to wake Fulham from their early slumber, and the match suddenly opened up as both sides began attacking with greater intent. Josh King and Oscar Bobb came close for the hosts, while Cunha also threatened from distance when his deflected effort looped over Leno before striking the post.
United continued to create openings of their own, with Marcus Rashford sending a promising volley over the crossbar late in the first half. Despite the increasingly open nature of the contest, neither side could find the breakthrough before the interval.
The second half initially failed to match the intensity of the closing stages of the first, with the game drifting before an extraordinary sequence eventually gave Fulham the lead.
Martinez own goal gives Fulham the advantage
The decisive moment arrived in the 63rd minute after United goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a mess of Calvin Bassey’s low effort.
The resulting confusion left Martinez under pressure, and the defender’s poor touch sent the ball into his own net as Lammens desperately attempted to recover. It was an unfortunate goal for United and an equally unexpected route into the lead for Fulham.
The hosts suddenly had something to protect, but United responded with considerable pressure.
Leno became increasingly important as Fulham attempted to hold onto their advantage, making a series of saves to deny United’s attackers. Bryan Mbeumo was among those frustrated by the goalkeeper, while Cunha also forced Leno into action as United searched for an equalizer.
The pressure eventually became too much for Fulham to withstand, although the goal that finally arrived owed something to fortune.
Cunha’s late goal rescues Manchester United
With just one minute remaining in normal time, Cunha’s late goal finally brought United level.
The Brazilian collected the ball around 20 yards from goal before striking towards the corner. His effort took a significant deflection off Fulham defender David Affengruber, completely wrongfooting Leno and sending the ball into the net.
The goal was particularly harsh on Leno, who had produced several important saves to keep Fulham ahead during United’s second-half pressure.
Cunha’s strike also represented his 40th Premier League goal, adding another milestone to a moment that prevented United from suffering another damaging defeat.
United pushed for a winner during the remaining minutes, and given their strong finish, they could argue that taking all three points would not have been entirely undeserved. Fulham, however, will feel frustrated after coming within minutes of securing their first league victory of the season.
For United, the point provides some relief after a difficult week that had already included a Manchester derby defeat and elimination from the Carabao Cup after surrendering a two-goal lead against Brighton.
Carrick gets breathing room before break
Michael Carrick will now have the three-week international break to regroup with his Manchester United squad before their next league fixture against Tottenham on 10 October.
The late equalizer will ease some of the pressure surrounding the manager, particularly after the disappointing results that preceded the trip to Craven Cottage. United were ultimately good value for their point, but their performance before Fulham’s goal will remain a concern.
The opening stages of the second half were particularly frustrating, as United allowed the match to drift before Lammens’ error and Martinez’s unfortunate own goal put them behind.
Carrick will nevertheless have positives to take from the response, with United producing enough pressure in the final stages to eventually find an equalizer.
Fulham, meanwhile, can take encouragement from another competitive performance despite remaining winless. Their first three matches of the season had all ended in defeat, but they have now taken points from consecutive difficult fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester United.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s side demonstrated plenty of attractive football at Craven Cottage, particularly through their ability to play out from the back and transition quickly between defense and attack.
Josh King impressed once again, while Alex Iwobi was particularly influential from the left. The experienced midfielder created five chances without misplacing a pass, underlining his importance to Fulham’s attacking approach.
The next step for Arbeloa’s side will be finding a consistent source of goals, with new striker Gonzalo Garcia still adapting to his new surroundings.
For United, Cunha’s equalizer at least prevented another defeat, but five points from five matches leaves plenty of work to do when the Premier League resumes.
